Merna L. Calabrese Obituary (1926 - 2010)

GRAYMONT -- Merna L. Duffy Calabrese, 83, Graymont, formerly of Chicago, died at 8:30 p.m. Saturday (Oct. 23, 2010) at OSF Saint James-John W. Albrecht Medical Center, Pontiac. Her Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Pontiac. Monsignor Thomas Mack will officiate. Burial will be at All Saints Cemetery, Des Plaines. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Duffy-Baier-Snedecor Funeral Home, Pontiac, with the rosary recited at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to St. Mary's Catholic Church Building Fund or a charity of the donor's choice. She was born Dec. 7, 1926, in Pontiac, daughter of Laurence and Anna Erschen Duffy. She married Philip Calabrese on Sept. 13, 1952, at Holy Name Cathedral, Chicago. He died Nov. 18, 1978. She is survived by her brother, James (Rosie) Duffy, Pontiac; sisters, Rita (John) Schaefer, Graymont, and Janet Hurt, Pontiac; brothers-in-law, Gary (Charlotte) Calabrese, Wood Dale, and Sam Calabrese, Glendale Heights; sister-in-law, Connie Duffy, Gridley; and nieces and nephews, Susan (Helmut) Pleiss, Heilbronn, Germany; Paul W. (Tammy) Schaefer, Graymont; John Hurt, Cornell; Theresa (Neil) Christopher, Pontiac; Michelle Hurt, Mesa, Ariz.; Joe (Janet) Duffy, Metamora; Steve (Joan) Duffy, Pontiac; Jean (Keith) Bollinger, Chesterfield, Mo.; David (Julie) Duffy, Chino Hills, Calif.; Pam (Donald) Enright, Glen Ellyn; and Cheryl Calabrese, Wood Dale, and 20 great nieces and nephews and one great great niece. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; two brothers, Richard L. Duffy and Frank Duffy; one brother-in-law, Robert Hurt; one sister-in-law, Wilda Duffy Branz; and one niece, Jane Ann Schaefer. She was a member of St. Mary's Women's Guild, the Legion of Mary and Graymont Neighborhood Club. She was an election judge in Chicago and Rooks Creek Township. She volunteered at OSF Saint James-John W. Albrecht Medical Center Gift Shop. She was active in the Marine Corp League Auxiliary, holding offices in the state and national level. She worked as a secretary and lived in Chicago for 51 years. She later retired and moved to Graymont in 1995. She was a member St. Mary's Catholic Church, Pontiac. Merna graduated from Georgetown grade school and Pontiac Township High School in 1944.